Background: There is a talent mismatch in Sweden. Companies are limited by a labour shortage, especially in the digital sector, and available talent has a low rate of hiring. Therefore, this study is focused on understanding the underlying reasons for this talent mismatch understanding it from an absorptive capacity process of knowledge and diversity in the digital sector. This research structure approaches this study by investigating the attraction, recruitment, development, and retention of talent in companies through an absorptive capacity lens. Aim: Broadening the understanding of why there is a mismatch between available talent and firms in Sweden. Methodology: A qualitative study method was done for the data collection and data analysis. Two clusters were created to explore the research process divided into companies and students. A proposed model was utilised to analyse the data and provide the results that confirmed different factors of the absorptive capacity process and the influence of diversity that serve to identify new findings. The thesis demonstrates that the absorptive capacity process can positively or negatively affect the influence of diversity in organisations. The factors that lead to these different outcomes are described in the various phases portrayed by the proposed model. However, the absorptive capacity process describes how people, in general, are retained in organisations and how the sense of belonging to the organisations is fundamental for a positive absorptive capacity process that leads to talent retention. Findings: Diversity related mechanisms that influence a match or mismatch between available talent and organisations. Keywords: Absorptive capacity process · Diversity · Employee life cycle · Knowledge integration· Science Parks

Research indicates buyer-supplier collaborations in new product development (NPD) can have a positive impact on innovation. From a knowledge based view, it is argued that suppliers add a complementary knowledge base that is combined with the buyer’s knowledge. But what does the supplier contribution actually consist of? And more importantly: How is this supplier knowledge integrated into the NPD process? This is not clear in the literature. Different supplier inputs may imply different knowledge integration mechanisms and practices. The purpose of this licentiate thesis is to investigate how supplier knowledge is integrated into the NPD process. The focus is to explore how knowledge intensive manufacturing firms integrate different supplier inputs in collaborative NPD projects by using different knowledge integration mechanisms. To fulfil the aim of thesis a qualitative approach has been applied and by studying NPD processes in three industrial sectors. An extensive literature review and a focus group meeting are followed by two qualitative case studies that are based mainly on interviews with keyrepresentatives in the buyer-supplier collaborations. The first study investigates different supplier contributions by categorizing different supplier inputs. The second study – which is the largest part of the overall study - investigates how supplier knowledge is integrated in NPD collaborations using different integration mechanisms. Here, six NPD collaborations, representing the automotive, the energy, and the telecom sectors, are studied and compared, in order to understand the integration processes and the different knowledge integration mechanisms. The third study investigates the role of trust in capturing supplier knowledge. Here, two NPD collaborations which can be considered to be polar-cases in terms of scope and depth are compared in order to explore and explain the role of trust in the integration processes. Altogether these studies lay a foundation for a model of knowledge integration between the buyer and the supplier in NPD collaborations. The model identifies two main strategies for integrating supplier knowledge – knowledge absorption and joint knowledge accumulation. Knowledge absorption concerns innovation processes where the contribution from suppliers is focused on product- and process improvements, i.e. incremental input. Here, the development is dictated by clear specifications. Supplier contacts take place during a limited period of time and are restricted to certain phases in NPD projects. Thus, the main knowledge integration mechanism used is sequencing. In these situations, the buyer actually tries to capture and absorb the knowledge of the supplier at a specific point in the process. A basic level of trust, based on the reputation the supplier has for competence is sufficient. Joint knowledge accumulation, on the other hand, is how firms manage more radical input from suppliers, such as new technology or new design. In these cases, knowledge integration strategies extend over a longer period of time, throughout several phases of the NPD project. There is a high degree of interaction between the people involved, to find new solutions. The main knowledge integration mechanism is group problem-solving. Knowledge is jointly accumulated by sharing, combining, and creating new knowledge in open processes. In these cases, a profound level of trust is required. When integrating supplier knowledge in innovation, management has to consider the possible and preferred outcome of the collaboration; it might be a commercial deal to provide for a temporary access to knowledge, or it might be a long-term alliance, where joint learning is an aim. In the first case, a traditional NPD process with clear specifications, using sequencing and technological interfaces, will be adequate. In the second case, focus should be on interpersonal problem solving between trustworthy individuals.

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AbstractTitle Knowledge integration under uncertainty:A sensemaking perspective on experts’ verbal communicationAuthors Hugo Guyader and Mario KienzlerSupervisors Marie Bengtsson and Christian BerggrenBackground Uncertain situations are characterized by a lack of comprehension,due to a lack of knowledge. It is not possible to know beforehand,what the consequences of an action will be. However, teamsof experts within NPD projects are required to act despite thisuncertainty. Even though they should be paralyzed, the teammembers integrate their individual knowledge and manage to developtechnologically-innovative products or services which answer thecustomers' requirements.Purpose The study analyzes the verbal communication of experts during theknowledge integration process from a sensemaking perspective.The experts are engineers from a NPD project dealing with thedevelopment of a new steam turbine.Definitions Knowledge integration: collective social process which isrequired to integrate distinct but complementary knowledge residingin various individuals, which’s output is integrated knowledge—e.g.embedded in an artifact.Sensemaking: ongoing process of giving meaning to actions,beliefs and events in order to understand their implication in acontext.Experts: trained specialists with experience in one or a few specificfields.Results The experts’ verbal communication is characterized by punctuatedexpecting and frequent arguing. Thereby, arguing is characterizedby questioning, rewording and summarizing. Arguing is seen as themain communicational facilitator during the knowledge integrationprocess.Key words Knowledge integration, uncertainty, sensemaking,verbal communication, new product development.

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This study explored the effectiveness of embedding a guided, learner-generated instructional strategy (query method), designed to support learners' cognitive and metacognitive processes, within the context of a computer-based complex task training environment (i.e., principles of flight in the aviation domain). The queries were presented as "stop and think" exercises in an open-ended question format that asked learners to generate either simple (low-level elaboration) or complex (high-level elaboration) sentences from a list of key training concepts. Results consistently highlighted the benefit of presenting participants with low-level elaboration queries, as compared to the no-query or high-level elaboration queries. In terms of post-training cognitive outcomes, participants presented with the low-level elaboration queries exhibited significantly more accurate knowledge organization (indicated by similarity to an expert model), better acquisition of perceptual knowledge, and superior performance on integrative knowledge assessment involving the integration and application of task-relevant concepts. Consistent with previous studies, no significant differences in performance were found on basic factual knowledge assessment. Presentation of the low-level elaboration queries also significantly improved the training program's instructional efficiency, that is, greater performance was achieved with less perceived cognitive effort. In terms of post-training metacognitive outcomes, participants presented with the low-level elaboration queries exhibited significantly greater metacomprehension accuracy and more effective metacognitive self-regulation during training. Contrary to predictions, incorporating the high-level elaboration queries into the training consistently failed, with only a few exceptions, to produce significantly better post-training outcomes than the no-query or the low-level elaboration query training conditions. The results of this study are discussed in terms of the theoretical implications for garnering a better understanding of the cognitive and metacognitive factors underlying the learning process. Practical implications for training design are presented within the context of cognitive load theory. Specifically, the increased cognitive processing of the training material associated with the high-level elaboration queries may have imposed too great a cognitive load on participants during training, minimizing the cognitive resources available for achieving a deeper, integrative understanding of the training concepts and hindering successful performance on the cognitive measures. The discussion also highlights the need for a multi-faceted approach to training evaluation.

While holistic care is fundamental to occupational therapy (OT) practice, organizational and systemic factors often push for compartmentalized and specialist practice. Because services in many practice areas are compartmentalized, occupational therapy practitioners’ (OTPs) continuing professional development (CPD) efforts typically focus on one clinical specialty, and many often do not learn skills across different clinical areas. It is imperative that OTPs continue to learn and integrate knowledge across specialty areas so as to provide comprehensive and holistic care to all individuals who seek OT services. In addition to this, there is a known knowledge-to-practice gap that limits the implementation of research into practice. Numerous research studies (Summers et al. 2015; Stewart et al. 2020; Jones et al. 2015; Thomas et al. 2020) support the need for active engagement in CPD, implementing the most recent research into practice, and maintaining a holistic and integrated approach to healthcare. However, many clinicians experience barriers to the implementation of that knowledge, such as time, cost, staffing, and organizational influence. Healthcare organizations, on the other hand, must function in a competitive healthcare industry, by optimizing client outcomes while maintaining qualified and engaged staff. Occupational Therapists Fostering Unified Expertise and Learning (OT F.U.E.L.) was designed with these barriers in mind, and addresses them by creating a cost-effective, timely, and engaging platform for knowledge exchange across the profession of occupational therapy. OT F.U.E.L. is designed as an online community of practice, focusing on intra-professional social learning and knowledge implementation for OTPs working in the various siloed specialties of OT, including pediatrics, orthopedics/hand therapy, inpatient/outpatient rehabilitation, and mental health. The objective is to reconnect with the common roots and approaches of occupational therapy, and enhance practice skills and expertise — integrating clinical knowledge and skills from various clinical specialties across the profession. Overall group size will be limited to 16 participants, with subspecialty groups of approximately four members to ensure diversity of experience. The groups will be moderated by a “knowledge broker” who can facilitate interconnections between the specialty areas. There will be three phases to the piloting of this program. In the initial pilot (Phase 1), participants will be OTPs who are also fieldwork educators (FWEs), recruited using established affiliations with an entry-level Master of Occupational Therapy program. For the pilot, FWEs will be recruited through their employer in order to get organizational buy-in for their engagement in the program, as well as encouragement from management to participate. A secondary objective for this approach is to demonstrate the value of organizational support of professional development during established work hours. Phase 2 of piloting will involve running the program through other Universities in a variety of regions within the United States. Phase 3 will be potential dissemination through the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA). Ultimately, OT F.U.E.L is expected to result in several intermediate and long-term outcomes, including OTPs increased the confidence and competence with integrating skills and concepts across specialty areas in their practice. By reducing the barriers and facilitating the implementation of new knowledge, the clients will benefit, and likely demonstrate improved outcomes.

Problem Mergers and acquisitions are a common way for organisations to extend their operations. By merging two or more organisations into one, the newly formed constellation can access new markets and increase the market presence or control of the supply chain. Previous research has demonstrated that mergers and acquisitions generally need to improve in creating added value. There appears to be a gap in existing research regarding the extent managers utilise and execute knowledge integration. The relationship between operational managers and organisational members is yet to be explored in the context of M&As, which has derived the problem statement of this thesis.   Purpose This thesis aims to gain insights into how organisational members and operational managers contribute to knowledge integration. The thesis also aims to reveal what essential aspects influence the outcome of mergers and acquisitions processes, partially with consideration to organisational members and operational managers, but also to other variables that are of significance during mergers and acquisitions.   Methodology The thesis is conducted through the qualitative research method. The thesis is mainly based on semi-structured interviews with professionals with broad experience in mergers and acquisitions processes and their integration phases. Aside from the interviews, data from secondary cases on mergers and acquisitions have been condensed to view additional perspectives and complement the primary data.   Findings The thesis finds that operational managers are in control of the overhauling structure of mergers and acquisitions processes. Although, despite the control of the operational manager, they are to be considered an enabler, leaving the organisational member as the executer, which implies that one cannot operate without the other. It appears in the thesis that mergers and acquisitions are complex constructs and that there are numerous varying variables. Therefore, one of the thesis’ main findings highlights the importance of understanding the interrelationship between operational management and organisational members, especially in the context of mergers and acquisitions.

Purpose: This paper aims to shed light on the process involved in acquiring and integrating complementary knowledge. The process model is based on a theoretical review of literature on complementarity in M&A’s, firm relatedness and knowledge integration. This literature acts as a foundation to construct the proposed model combined with a process oriented semi-structured interview based on a single case where we found complementary knowledge was integrated under conditions that would be challenging in this regard. The literature review provides the theoretical foundation and the process-oriented interview provides the process of implementing and understanding the theory. Therefore the following study should be considered a contribution to guide further research into this phenomena, which is currently underexplored especially from a qualitative point of view.  Method: The theoretical study utilizes a synthesizing approach in connecting the literature findings and the empirical study adopts a qualitative lens by conducting three phases of study: pre-study,single case study and expert interviews. The primary data was collected through semi-structured interviews with M&A managers, and the sampling method is purposive.  Findings: On a theoretical perspective we found that low external relatedness acts as a source of complementarity and low internal relatedness creates inefficiency in exploiting those complementary differences within knowledge. Allowing autonomy to the acquired firm is best when external relatedness is low as to maintain the differences that contribute to complementarity. On the contrary, if internal relatedness is low we find that high integration is recommended to ensure that internal relatedness is increased and efficiency issues are limited. When internal relatedness and external relatedness are both low, the required approach is a balance between autonomy and integration, described as symbiosis.  From the empirical study, we conclude that the integration approach becomes an iterative process where the knowledge integration process plays an important role in learning to understand the acquired firm. In short, symbiosis requires close interaction and observation and an established process of integrating new knowledge to get familiar with the acquired firm.

Yes / This paper utilizes insights from the knowledge-based view and ambidexterity literature to examine the effects of knowledge integration (KI) on innovation via contextual ambidexterity (CA). The paper also investigates the potential moderating role of human resource (HR) slack on the relationship between KI and CA. Using survey data collected from 245 entrepreneurial firms operating in Ghana, the findings show that KI positively relates to CA, and this relationship is moderated by HR slack. In addition, we observed that CA mediates KI and innovation. The broader theoretical and practical implications of the study are outlined.